Ice tray



J. H. MINER ICE TRAY Filed Oct. 27, 1959 June 9, 1942.

L 1 11.1. if? .M/ A a 2 Z QMWM Patented June 9, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ICE TRAY James H. Miner, Meridian, Miss. ipplication October 27, 1939, Serial No. 301,662

8 Claims.

My invention relates to ice trays for refrigerators and consists in the features, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a side view of a tra dying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view.

Fig. 3 is a plan.view.

Fig. 4 is a detail with parts in a different position from Fig. 3.

In the drawing a indicates a tray of substantially ordinary form which may be made of aluminum or any other suitable material. As is customary, it is provided with upwardly and outwardly inclined walls and is susceptible of a certain amount of distortion and capacity to restore itself to normal condition after it is operated. A grid is combined with the tray made up of two longitudinally extending partitions 2, 2a at the lengthwise center of the tray, and located substantially in contact'with each other. These center bars have fins 3, 3arespectively projecting therefrom laterally of the tray and substantially in contact with the side walls of the tray.

The construction just described provides spaces in which the cubes of ice are formed. The center bars or plates which stand on edge provide partitions contributing to the formation of the pockets in which the cubes are frozen. These center plates or partitions are of material capable of having resilient action whereby they may be spread apart and will restore themselves to normal position.

Stainless steel may be mentioned as an instance of suitable material, though the invention is not limited in this respect.

One feature of the invention is the employment of an operating member for the grid sections permanently mounted on a part of the organization, and capable of performing all operations necessary to effect the relative movement between the parts of the organization for cracking the ice free.

It is known to employ levers, or other implements not attached permanently to any part of the organization for operating a part or parts thereof, but considerable inconvenience results from such implements, formed as separate articles, because of their misplacement or loss.

In carrying out my invention in regard to the object just stated, I prefer to mount the operable member permanently on one of the grid sections, but in its broad aspect the invention is not limited in this-regard.

In the preferred form therefore I mount the hand lever I pivotally at Ia on an ear or projection extending up from the main partition bar 2 of one of the grid sections. This partition bar is set up on edge and extends in the lengthwise direction of the elongated tray member a which is of substantially ordinary construction having side and end walls 4 and 5 all inclining upwardly and outwardly.

This tray member is of suitable metal such as stainless steel, though I do not limit myself in this respect. It is preferably made with its walls resilient. It may be formed of aluminum.

The pivot post or car 6 for the hand lever may be provided by a metal plate 6a riveted, welded, or otherwise attached to the side face of the main partition bar 2 of one of the grid sections.

This gridsection which permanently carries the hand lever is of resilient metal. It has fins 3 attached thereto which extend in a direction cross-wise of the tray to near the wall thereof. A second grid section is made up of the main partition bar 2a and fins 3a, and this section, like the one first mentioned is made of resilient metal. When the grid sections are in place their main partition bars 2-20, lie closely adjacent each other and they, together with the fins 3 and 3a divide the space within the tray into chambers or pockets in which the ice cubes are formed.

The hand lever I has a portion lb which when the hand lever is swung up from its normal substantially horizontal position will be forced down between the main partition bars 2, 2a of the grid sections, and these will be moved apart in a direction cross-wise of the tray, Fig. 4 and the ice will be dislocated from the position in which it is formed and thus prepared for its removal. The free ends of the fins 3, 3a may be located initially close to, but slightly spaced from the side walls of the tray so that each grid section may be free to have slight movement before the ends of the fins contact the side walls 'of the tray.-

Only a comparatively slight movement of the grid sections is necessary in order to crack the ice loose from the walls of the organization. The incline of the side walls upwardly and outwardly contributes to the dislocation of the ice owing to the tendency of the grid section to ride up the inclined wall and further the yielding of the side walls under the pressure from the displaced grid may be a contributing factor in dislocating the ice. I do not limit myself, however, to the resilience of the walls of the tray, nor to the incline of said walls, nor to the spacing of the fins from the tray walls.

The portion lb of the hand lever is of wedge shape in cross section and its thin lower edge is presented downwardly so that when the hand lever is raised the wedge will be forced down between the main bars 2, 2a of the grid sections to press said sections outwardly from the longitudinally center line of the tray towards the sides thereof.

In thus operating the hand lever it is allowed to have movement of about 90 or from a substantially horizontal position to a vertical position.

Therefore, the wedge shaped end lb will be moved a considerable distance down between the grid sections and the separation of these sections will depend upon the thickness of the wedge member at its thickest portion, say about /8 of an inch.

This size may vary, but as stated, it is sufficient to cause the desired degree of movement of the grid sections for cracking the ice loose.

. In order that stress may be exerted lengthwise .of the tray as well as cross-wise thereof, I provide means whereby the grid sections may be stressed relative to each other in opposite directions lengthwise of the tray. For this purpose I provide a projection I on that one of the grid sections (2a in the present organization) which does not carry the pivoted hand lever, but this projection is so disposed in the path way of a part of the wedge portion lb of the hand lever that when said lever is about reaching its vertical position when lifted, the projection I will be contacted by said portion lb of the hand lever and the grid section 20 will be moved rightward in Fig. 1 of the drawing, and that one of the grid sections i. e. marked 2 which carries the hand lever will be stressed leftward. Dislocation of the ice will take place by reason of slight movement. of the grid sections lengthwise of the tray.

The main partition member 2 which carries the hand lever has an opening or recess la in its lower edge through which the projection 1 extends so that the grid section of which said member 2 forms a part may be lifted from the tray, and thereafter the other grid section may be lifted also. The length of the main partition bars 2 and 2a of the grid sectionswill be such that they may have the desired lengthwise movements before contacting the end walls of the tray. In any event the ends of the bars and fins of the grid will preferably fit close enough to the walls of the tray to allow only a thin portion of ice to lie between the edges of the grid members and the tray walls.

The end of the portion lb of the hand lever may be of notched form as at 9 in order to embrace the edge of the lug or projection 1 and therefore both grids will maintain a horizontal position relative to each other while being stressed lengthwise of the tray.

The hand lever may be provided with a second wedge portion as shown at 8, which will enter between the main partition bars of the grid sections to separate them when the hand lever is pressed downwardly.

and the end thereof, so that by working the lever both upwardly and downwardly the separating action may be applied at different points along the grid sections.

The end walls of the tray may be curved inwardly slightly, and being resilient they will act as spring means to restore the grid sections to normal relation.

Features of this case are similar to those of my application No. 171,143 filed Oct. 26, 1937, and hence are not claimed broadly herei'n.

I laim:

1. In combination an ice tray, a grid therein in two sections, free to move apart laterally and free to have relative movement lengthwise, each section being composed of a bar or partition extending lengthwise of the tray and adjacent the corresponding bar of the other section, laterally extending fins on said bars and means permanently pivoted on a part of the organization and having movement relative thereto said means entering between, contacting with and pressing the grid sections laterally apart when operated, said permanently mounted means having a handle permanently attached thereto and accessible for manual operation, substantially as described.

2. An ice tray organization comprising a tray and a grid in two sections, one of the grid sections having a projection receiving pressure from a hand lever pivoted on and permanently carried by the other grid section whereby upon operating the hand lever the grid sections will be moved in relation to each other in a direction lengthwise of the tray, said hand lever having a portion to enter between and relatively spread the sections laterally apart prior to their relative movement in said lengthwise direction, substantially as described.

3. An ice tray organization comprising a tray proper, a grid in sections and a hand lever permanently pivoted on a part of the organization and having means for effecting relative movement between said grid sections both in a direction laterally crosswise oi the tray and also lengthwise of said tray for dislocating the ice, substantially as described.

4. An ice tray organization comprising a tray, a grid composed of sections independently mounted in the tray each section being composed of a bar set up on edge and extending from end to end of the tray and fins attached to said bars, and a hand lever permanently pivoted on one section and having a part engaging the other section, said lever when operated moving the sections relative to each other laterally of the tray while they remain in the same horizontal plane.

5. An ice tray organization according to claim 1 in which the means for pressing the grid sections apart consists of a hand lever pivotally mounted on a part of the organization and hav-- ing a wedge shaped portion to enter between adjoining sections of the grid for effecting their pressing apart.

6. In combination an ice tray, a pair of grid sections therein divided from each other at the lengthwise center line of the tray, a hand lever pivoted on and carried permanently by a part of the organization and having a portion to enter between the sections for pressing them apart, and a projection on one of the grid sections, against which said portion of the lever bears, in the final part of its movement in pressing the grid sections apart, for moving one grid section lengthwise of the tray relative to the other section, substantially as described.

7. In combination an ice tray, a grid in sections arranged adjacent each other, a hand lever pivotally mounted and having two wedge portions, one to enter between the grid sections for separating them when the hand lever is raised and the other wedge operating to separate the grid sections when the hand lever is pressed downwardly. 

